Who We Are
The Centre for Appropriate Technology Satellite Enterprises Pty. Ltd. (CfATSE) is Australia’s first and only Aboriginal-owned-and-operated ground segment service provider. CfATSE is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Centre for Appropriate Technology, and supported by partnerships with CfAT Satellite Enterprises, Viasat, Inc., and Indigenous Business Australia.
The infrastructure enhances Australia’s capability in disaster management (such as cyclones and bushfires), environmental monitoring, border protection, search and rescue, and strategic positioning such as monitoring the economic impacts of pandemics like COVID-19 from space.
What We Do
We manage a 38-hectare site in Central Australia, on which we host satellite ground stations, and partner with service providers to ensure Aboriginal people contribute to the global space industry, whilst supporting outcomes for Indigenous communities around Australia.
We have built on over 10 years of experience in the field, having hosted and serviced Geoscience Australia’s ground station antennas on the CfAT Space Precinct for a decade.
Our Mission
CfAT Satellite Enterprises’ mission is to ensure Indigenous Australians are active participants in the space economy and realise the benefits of space-enabled services.
Our Mission propels Aboriginal people to the forefront of the global space industry by combining cutting-edge technology with deep cultural knowledge of Central Australia’s unique environment.
CfAT Space Precinct
The CfAT Space Precinct is located in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Our unique location serves as a central point for Australian and international researchers, facilitating easier collaboration and travel.
The CfAT Space Precinct is a naturally exceptional location for space observation and satellite communication, with over 250 cloud-free days each year, low light pollution, stable atmospheric conditions and clear night skies.
The CfAT Space Precinct also offers a clear line of sight 5 degrees above the horizon due to its remote location, and the location allows for unique observations of southern hemisphere constellations and phenomena not visible from northern latitudes.
Our facilities can provide Southern Hemisphere access to LEO, MEO & GEO missions.
Commercial Opportunities
Access Viasat’s Real-time Earth Network
CfAT Satellite Enterprises has partnered with Viasat, Inc., a multinational ground station original equipment manufacturer (OEM) which boasts over 50 years in the space industry.
Viasat enables satellite operators to command, downlink, and rapidly disseminate Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) data in a timely and secure manner with real-time streaming to a nominated destination.
The CfAT Space Precinct hosts two 7.3m full motion L/S/X/Ka-band antennas located at 23.76o S, 133.88o E.
Access to the network includes access to every ground station antenna site, payload downlinks from 15mbps to 6,400mbps for X and Ka bands, real-time streaming and monitoring, cutting-edge narrow and wideband modems, onsite processing, store/forward and backhaul to a nominated destination.
Ground Station Hosting
CfAT Satellite Enterprises’ facilities enable ground station operators to achieve their deliverables at a secure location, in a centralised world-class facility which encompasses Australia and its shores.
Our site offers clear line of sight up to 10 degrees above the horizon, 1 gbps optical fibre, 300 kv transformer, mains water and sewage, more than 250 cloud-free days each year. very low luminance / minimal light pollution (Sky Quality Meter (SQM) reading above 20).
Hosting ground stations on the CfAT Space Precinct also allows CfAT Ltd. to employ, train and build the capacity of our Aboriginal workforce, who can then take their skills back to their own remote communities.
Current Precinct Partners and Supporters
Contact
For enquires relating to Centre for Appropriate Technology Satellite Enterprises Pty Ltd, please reach out.
General Manager - CfAT Satellite Enterprises
cfatse@cfat.org.au